Wire-fence machine.



Patented Dec. 26, |899.

No. 639,749.V

G. o. wnzsnviav WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

(Application led Oct. 13, 1898.)

wth/La om TH: MORRIS 5E-rens co. PHcT'oALlrno., msm-Nuon, cv c GEORGE O. MESERVEY, OF MARDEN, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming Apart of Letters Patent N o. 639,749, dated December 26, 1899.

Application filed October 13, 1898. Serial No. 693,466. (No model.)

bT0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. MEsERvEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Marden, in the county of Brown and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Wire- Fence Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to fencernaking machines, and more particularly to a machine for twisting the longitudinal strands of wire about the pickets or palings, which may be set into the ground or suspendedin a vertical position between the twists of the wire strands.

The object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly cheap and simple machine which can be easily moved from place to place and which will perform its operations in an easy and efficient manner; and with these objects in view the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts, the combination and arrangement of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming partof this speciication, Figure l is a face view of a machine constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View showing the top part of the machine from the opposite side. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the securing-collars. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. l, bevel-gears being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is a det-ail elevation of one of the cross-bars.

Fig. is an enlarged sectional view showing the manner of securing the twister within the cross-bar.

In carrying out my invention I employ two upright standards A, preferably tubular in form, and, if desired, they may be constructed of ordinary gas-pipe. These standards rest upon the axles A', carrying the ground-Wheels A2, and are braced by means of rods or bars A3, extending from the axle to the said standards and attached thereto at a point below their middle. Cross-bars B are connected to the standards at definite points and extend horizontally across the space between the said standards, each cross-bar being formed with a central circular bearing B', in which is j ournaled the tubular hub portion C' of the twisting-sprockets C, said sprockets being rotatably held within the bearing by means of a collar C2, which is fastened upon the end of the tubular hub portion C by means of a setscrew C5, this construction permitting the ready rotation of the sprocket, but preventing the dislocation of the same. The twisting-sprockets are constructed with openings D, through Which the strands of wire pass, and as these sprockets are rotated the parallel strands of wire will be twisted about the vertical pickets, and in order to so operate the said sprockets I employ an endless sprocketchain E, which passes around all of the sprockets alternately upon opposite sides, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1. The sprocket-chain also passes around idler-sprockets E and E2, arranged adjacent to the upper and lower ends of the machine. In order to drive the sprocketchain, I construct one of the sprockets with a bevel-gear F, which meshes with a horizontal bevel-gear G, mounted upon the end of a drive-shaft H, carrying another gear G and at its lower end, the said shaftH being journaled in brackets II', which extend outwardly from a casing or frame H2 formed upon one of the cross bars, and another journaled bracket H3 projects forwardly from the said casing or frame and in which is journaled a shaft I, carrying a bevel-gear K upon its inner end adapted to mesh with the bevel-gear G', and the crank K is arranged upon its outer end for the purposeof rotating the shaft I, and consequently the bevel-gears K, G', G, and F, and inasmuch as the bevel-gear F is integral with or rigidly connected within the twisting-sprocket it will be clearly seen that each and every one of the twisting-sprockets will be operated from this one by means of the sprocketchain. A chain tightener is adapted to take up any slack in the chain and also hold it in close contact with the main or drive sprocket, and in the present instance said chain-tightener consists, essentially, of a lever L, pivoted to one of the uprights and carrying an antifriction-roller L' at its free end adapted to contact with the sprocket-chain, said lever being normally pressed into position throughthe medium of a leaf-spring L2.

In operation the machine is drawn to the place it is to be operated, and the horizontal IOO strands of Wire pass through the holes D in the sprocket C, and then by simply turning the crank the strands will be twisted about the pickets, 'which are of course set in an upright position by hand and, if desired, can be driven into the ground. As the fence is built the machine is moved back in order to permit additional pickets to be put in place. The pickets can be wood or Wire, and the strands can be twisted continuously in one direction, or the twisterv can be reversed after the insertion of each picket.`

It will thus be seen that I provide an eX- ceedingly cheap, simple, and efficient construction of Wirefence -making machine, which can be easily operated and will efficiently perform all of the operations for which it is intended.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a Wire-fence machine, the combination with the uprights, of the cross-bars connecting the same and having suitable bearings, twister-sprockets provided with rearwardly-extending iianges journaled in said bearings, a collar secured on said flanges in the rear of the cross-bars and carried thereby and the sprocket chain, bevel gears, and crank-shaft substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with the uprights and carriage, of the cross-bars having central bearings, twister-sprockets provided with rearwardlyprojecting iianges j ournaled in said bearings, a collar on each of said flanges in rear of said cross-bars whereby the twister-sprockets are secured in the bearings, a sprocket-chain passing alternately upon opposite sides of the sprockets, a chain-tightener, secured to one of the uprights and carrying an idler-pulley atits' free end in engagement with the sprocket-chain, the bevelgears, drive shaft and crank arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as described.

GEORGE O. MESERVEY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD PURCELL, W. Y. BAKER. 

